


baking is a love-language too

by OceanMyth



Series: Ocean's ATLA Drabbles, Oneshots, and Ficlets [8]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Baking, Ficlet, Fluff, Gen, Pie, it's sweet and wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:15:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26304739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OceanMyth/pseuds/OceanMyth
Summary: Aang bakes with his first teacher and his last teacher, because sometimes, the best way to show affection is through pie.
Relationships: Aang & Gyatso (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Ocean's ATLA Drabbles, Oneshots, and Ficlets [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113209
Comments: 13
Kudos: 112





	baking is a love-language too

**(his first teacher)**

Aang ruined the pies. 

It’s his first time working the bellows that kept the ovens hot, and he’s messed up. A lot. He’d put far too much energy into his airbending, and the ovens had overheated. By a lot. Gyatso stands in front of him, hands hidden in his draping sleeves, and Aang winces as he waits for his inevitable scolding.

His foot scuffs along the cobbled terrace, and he can’t meet Gyatso’s eyes, until Gyatso reaches out to tilt his chin up.

"What have we learned, pupil Aang?" Gyatso’s voice is soft and understanding. The pies, burnt on the edges, and uncooked in the middle, sit on the balcony between them.

"The ovens need a steady stream of air in order to stay at the right temperature." Gyatso smiles at Aang widely, and even though Aang still feels awful for letting his impatience ruin the batch of pies, he smiles back. Gyatso nods at Aang, and his smile gets even wider, his eyes crinkling up at the edges.

"Now that you know, why don't we make one more batch? What do you say, Aang?"

"Yeah! I'll get it right this time, Gyatso, I promise!”

**(his last teacher)**

Just before they finish up their firebending training, Zuko notices that Aang's focus has slipped. Aang's form is sloppy, and his gaze slips out into the Air Temple, beyond their little practice courtyard. Zuko sighs, and stops the spar.

"I can’t teach you like this—what's wrong Aang?" he demands, and Aang just fidgets.

"Nothing."

Zuko's eyebrows go up. "Nothing wro—you're _obviously_ distracted!"

Aang's gaze falls to the floor of the temple, and his fidgeting increases. "I was just wondering if you could teach me how to light an oven with firebending...there’s a couple over where the kitchens are—were— and I was thinking that it would be nice to practice."

"An oven," Zuko says flatly. It must be obvious, the annoyance he feels at Aang’s request, because Aang just sighs, and kicks at a rock on the ground, sending it skittering off the side of the Temple, clattering into the abyss.

"I know it's stupid, and it’s not going to help me defeat the Firelord or anything... it's just... Monk Gyatso—my airbending teacher—and I used to bake together. And I kinda wanted to do that with you." The way Aang says _airbending teacher_ is loaded with meaning. It sounds like the way Zuko says _Uncle,_ and Zuko looks away from Aang’s bright eyes, ashamed.

"Oh. I guess I can do that, if you want. It wouldn’t be too hard.” Aang’s smile lights up the room, and he darts over toward the exit to the courtyard.

“C’mon! We should go get baking supplies— after all, if we’re gonna be lighting the ovens, we might as well make pies!” he calls over his shoulder.

Zuko is definitely _not_ smiling as he follows after his pupil.


End file.
